What's Happening Today - Thursday 16 September

North Korea:

US-led United Nations Command and North Korea hold fifth round of colonel-level talks on sinking of South Korean warship Cheonan in March, blamed on Pyongyang

Russia:

Opposition politicians including Boris Nemtsov, Mikhail Kasyanov, Vladimir Ryzhkov, announce establishment of coalition to run in 2011 parliamentary, 2012 presidential elections

Russia:

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, alliance of most former Soviet republics) economic ministers meet in Moscow to discuss draft treaty on free-trade zone

Russia:

Communist Party of Russian Federation holds rallies across the country against rising food prices

Russia:

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrey Nesterenko gives weekly briefing in Moscow at 1130 gmt

Russia:

Dmitri Medvedev has said Moscow is concerned by NATO activity in the Arctic, adding that it favours international cooperation in the region but without the military component. Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon will meet Artur Chilingarov, Presidential reprensentative for international cooperation in the Arctic and the Antarctic (0900) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (0730).

Russia:

Ukrainian-Russian interstate commission's sub-committee for international cooperation meets to discuss border demarcation; Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko attends

Pakistan:

September 2010 was the most intense period of US unmanned drone strikes in Pakistan since they began in 2004, despite the floods

Pakistan:

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced a $451 million loan for Pakistan's flood relief, helping to fill Pakistan's budget hole resulting from the flooding.

Tajikistan:

During a meeting with United Tajik Opposition (UTO) representatives, Tajik authorities promised not to persecute UTO members. UTO officials expressed concern over the deployment of Tajik troops in the eastern part of the country, especially in Rasht Valley, where every day Kamaz trucks arrive with 100-200 military personnel. Tajik authorities explained that the deployed forces in the east are part of an operation to find members of a rebel group led by Abdullo Rahimov.

Tajikistan:

Tajik Interior Minister Abdurahim Qahhorov, Defense Minister Sherali Khayrulloyev and National Security Committee Deputy Chair Mansurjon Umarov are in the country's eastern district of Garm to meet with former rebel leaders. The area was the base of the United Tajik Opposition rebel group during the country's civil war from 1992-1997, for meetings with former rebel commanders, including Mirzokhuja Ahmadov. Ahmadov, along with other former rebels, is reported to have rearmed.

Pakistan:

Afghan President Hamed Karzai wraps up visit after meeting counterpart Asif Ali Zardari yesterday

Afghanistan:

Last day of campaigning for 18 September elections to parliament's lower house Wolasi Jerga

Iran:

Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan visits for talks with President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad, counterpart Manuchehr Mottaki, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani; bilateral, regional, international issues on agenda; second and last day of visit

Iran:

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has neither confirmed nor denied rumours about the resignation on political grounds of some Europe-based Iranian diplomats. We could pressure him.

Armenia:

Armenia and Russia are Collective Security Treaty Organization partners and NATO does not object to the presence of a Russian military base in Armenia, according to Robert Simmons, the NATO's special representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Turkey:

Turkey has rejected an Israeli request to question the captain of the lead ship in the Gaza-bound aid flotilla raided by Israeli forces May 31, saying the captain's testimony should be relayed between the two countries' ministries of justice rather than directly to the Israeli committee investigating the raid.

Turkey:

The Istanbul prosecutor's office tasked Kadir Altinisik with examining petitions demanding the prosecution of the leaders of the 1980 military coup. Altinisik will prepare a report following his examination.

Turkey:

Summit of Turkic-speaking nations held in Istanbul; in attendance are Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkey's Abdullah Gul , Kazakhstan's Nursultan Nazarbayev, Turkmenistan's Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Kyrgyzstan's Roza Otunbayeva

Turkey:

Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi visits to meet President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan; attends business forum today; second and final day

Syria:

US Middle East envoy George Mitchell visits to discuss progress of Israeli-Palestinian talks with President Bashar al-Asad

Syria:

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell visits Syria.

Jordan:

US Secretary of State meets King Abdallah II for talks on Middle East settlement following second round of direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations

Palestine:

Following up after Mahmoud Abbas said he would end peace negotiations if Israel begins new settlement construction

Palestine:

Hillary Clinton meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Egypt:

Arab Foreign Ministers will meet to discuss the recent resumption of direct Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.

Egypt:

Arab League foreign ministers meet in Cairo; agenda includes Arab security, Palestinian issue, Arab-Israeli conflict, International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir

Sudan:

Debate on possible South Sudan secession held in Khartoum ahead of January referendum; Cabinet Affairs Minister Luka Biong, ruling National Congress Party political affairs secretary Ibrahim Ghandur attending

Algeria:

TENTATIVE Security chiefs from Algeria, Mali, Niger, Mauritania meet in Algiers to discuss counter-terrorism cooperation against Al-Qa'idah affiliates

Madagascar:

National Conference held (-18) as part of transition process in run-up to 17 November constitutional referendum, next year's presidential, legislative elections; postponed from 30 August

Ethiopia:

Ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front continues meeting in southern city of Adama, Oromiya Region (-17)

Nigeria:

Using his Facebook page to announce plans to run in January elections, Goodluck Jonathan will formally declare his candidacy in Abuja today.

Guinea:

The second round of Guinea's presidential election will not be held Sept. 19 as originally scheduled, Independent National Electoral Commission spokesman Thierno Ceydou Bayo said

Holland:

International Court of Justice (ICJ) continues hearings into Russia's challenge to its jurisdiction in case brought by Georgia; Russia is accused of breaches of International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (-17)

Belgium:

EU leaders attend European Council meeting in Brussels to discuss relations strategic partners, economic governance

France:

European Commissioner Viviane Reding's criticisms of the Roma situation in France were "unacceptable," French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s office said but declined debate on the issue between Paris and Brussels, saying it was time for a "calm dialogue,"

UK:

Rwandan President Paul Kagame visits to deliver Oppenheimer Lecture at International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London (IISS website)

UK:

Pope Benedict XVI begins visit to meet Queen Elizabeth, Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams; holds public mass, prayer vigil in Glasgow (-19)

US:

US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to testify at the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee hearing on China yuan.

US:

U.S. Rep. Sander Levin, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, blamed China's alleged currency manipulation  and is working today on how to proceed with legislation to impose retaliatory duties on Chinese goods.

Mexico:

Mexico's immigration chief has resigned after she testified before the Mexican Senate about 72 immigrants who were found dead

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